The University of Texas at Dallas is getting ready to start construction on a $54 million town center-inspired development on the north side of its Richardson campus, which will bring on-campus housing and retail to students.

The development, known as Northside at UT Dallas, on a 13-acre tract at the northwest corner of Synergy Park Boulevard and Floyd Road, will get underway in the next few weeks. The project will help support a growing student population.

“Over the past seven years, our enrollment has increased from 14,500 to almost 23,000 students,” said Calvin Jamison, vice president of administration at UT Dallas, in a prepared statement.

“This is the natural next phase of enhancing the university experience for our campus community,” he added.

The project is being developed through a public-private partnership in conjunction with Balfour Beatty Campus Solutions, an affiliate of Dallas-based Balfour Beatty Construction, and Dallas-based Wynne/Jackson.

Balfour Beatty Construction will lead the overall design and build team on the project, which also features Jacobs Engineering and Architecture Demarest.

Plans for the project include a 600-bed mid-rise apartment and townhome project, as well as shops, restaurants and entertainment to serve more than 30,000 students, faculty and staff.

The development is being built adjacent to a proposed site for a future DART rail station. If construction gets underway, as planned, the development is expected to be complete in August 2016 prior to the 2016-17 academic year.